By Joe Gaetan, 

October 26th, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

The Burlington annual budget conversation has become a confusing blur of numbers and percentages that blend together the City, the Region of Halton, and the Province’s education levy. On paper, it looks simple — one tax bill, one number. But in practice, it’s anything but.

Roughly 52% of your 2026 property tax bill will fund roads, parks, fire services, libraries, and local transit. About 32.9% goes to the Region of Halton, which covers policing, paramedics, waste collection, and water. The final 15.07%, down from 15.75% in 2025, is for the provincial education tax — which the City merely collects and passes on to school boards.

That small change raises questions. A drop from 15.75% to 15.07% should mean the “Forecasted 2026 Tax” for Education is less than the 2025 amount of $153.00, yet the City’s 2026 Budget Blueprint suggests otherwise.

When our mayor issues budget updates, the practice has been to blend all three tax components together, reporting a “combined tax increase.” While this makes for a smoother headline, it muddies the waters of accountability. It obscures which level of government is responsible for what.

A reasonable taxpayer might ask:

Why are City and Regional budgets being presented as one when City Council controls little more than half of the total levy?

And if the Regional or Education portions were to rise sharply? Say, due to increased policing costs or provincial policy shifts. Will the “combined” number still be used, or will that change the narrative? A good question for someone to pose to the Mayor during the Nov. 5 “Budget Telephone Town Hall” from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Transparency matters. Residents deserve to know exactly how much of their tax increase comes from City decisions versus those made elsewhere. Combining the numbers may soften the optics, but it does not serve public understanding. In a time when trust in government is fragile, clarity should be the cornerstone of communication, not an afterthought.

A Path Forward: Learning from Best Practices

The C.D. Howe Institute’s 2025 Fiscal Accountability Report Card offers valuable insight into how Burlington could improve its own transparency. The Institute notes that citizens must be able to monitor, influence, and react to how governments acquire and use public funds. Budgets and financial reports aren’t just ledgers — they’re instruments of democratic accountability.

Burlington could easily take cues from the best practices outlined by the C.D. Howe Institute, the OECD’s Budget Transparency Guidelines, and the Open Budget Survey.

These frameworks call for:

Accessible financial documents that non-experts can understand. Timely interim reports comparing budgeted and actual performance. Consistent accounting standards from year to year; and

Placement of key numbers up front, not hidden deep in appendices.

Toward a Burlington Budget Accountability Scorecard

Burlington has an opportunity to lead by example. Imagine a “Budget Accountability Scorecard” published each year alongside the budget — one that clearly shows how the City’s spending and results compare to its own projections, and how those results stack up against other municipalities.

Such a tool, grounded in C.D. Howe’s framework, would strengthen public trust and show that Burlington is serious about open, evidence-based governance. It would move us beyond the politics of percentages toward a culture of measurable accountability.

Taxpayers don’t expect perfection, but they do expect honesty and clarity. Burlington’s leaders would serve residents better by speaking plainly about what they control — and just as plainly about what they don’t. Transparency isn’t just a slogan; it’s how trust is earned, one honest budget at a time.

Joe Gaetan, BGS, is a Burlington-based writer and community observer focused on governance, transparency, and civic engagement.